Page 23 of November

“She’s bringing you coffee.”

“She’s bringinguscoffee. You’re the one who said yes. I was about to tell her, ‘No thank you.’”

“But you’re glad I said something because it means she’s coming back. And just how does she know your coffee order?”

“I went to the café, and she was there. It’s for employees only, which I didn’t know, so she got me in and heard my order. That’s all.”

“That’s all? Yeah, right,” Lainey said. “She remembered it and is on her way back with it for you.”

“Forus,” Maisie repeated.

“Maise, she’s pretty.”

“Now, you think she’s pretty?”

“I thought she was pretty before. I just didn’t say anything.”

“You just told me she’s too fancy for me,” she noted.

“She is. But opposites attract sometimes, right?”

“Which is it, then? I shouldn’t like her because she’s too fancy, or Ishouldlike her because she’s pretty?”

“So, youdolike her?” Lainey asked, pointing at her.

“I don’t even know her.” Maisie laughed. “I’ve had, like, two, maybe three conversations with the woman.”

“But they’ve been good conversations?”

“I guess so.” She shrugged a shoulder.

“Then, ask her out. She’s into women. I know; I heard her say something about an ex-girlfriend.”

“You were eavesdropping?” she asked.

“It’s a small store, Maise. Kind of hard not to overhear things when there’s no one else in here.”

“Can you just get back to work? I’m not paying you to give me a hard time.”

“Yeah. Yeah,” Lainey replied and made her way back to the center aisle.

“Hey?”

“Yeah?” Lainey asked.

“She might not be over her ex.”

“She said she was good. I heard that part, too.”

“What if she’s not?”

“You can ask her.”

“That’s obvious.”

“Ask her out, I mean. If she says no, either she’s not interested in you or she’s not over her ex, but at least you’d know. You haven’t been on a date in forever. It’s worth a shot.”

“Can you make yourself scarce when she comes back?” Maisie asked.